Not in the Caribbean, but often on a Caribbean cruise, the tiny Atlantic island of Grand Turk is an unspoilt gem which captivates me as a space nerd, an artist and a tourist!

In 1962 Astronaut John Glenn splashed down just off the coast, leaving the area littered with space memorabilia. This recreation of his landing capsule is in the middle of a roundabout, you’ll find references and photo opportunities everywhere. The 2016 movie Hidden Figures ‘rocketed’ the story back into the public eye

From late January to early April Humpback Whales can be spotted offshore as the the North Atlantic Whales migrate here during breeding season, year round you’ll find this photo opportunity right on the beach by the cruise centre, with my fit & agile daughter climbing up on the seat

The rusting shipwreck of Mega One Triton lies on Govenors Beach about a mile from the cruise terminal. Blown ashore during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 its rested on this otherwise pristine beach ever since, making a nice holiday snap with your cruise ship in the background

The Lighthouse sits at the far end of the Island, with the Island being just six miles long it doesn’t take too long to get here, some ramblers groups even walked when we visited. Actually built in the UK the Lighthouse was shipped to Grand Turk in sections in 1852 and is the only lighthouse on the islands

When I’m teaching art on ships I usually have a lighthouse class, and this one is a favourite as it’s easy to achieve a good result in a simple watercolour sketch. Admission is about $3 and includes a walk along the cliffs to a viewpoint perfect for some onshore whale watching. Also directly beside the lighthouse is the donkey sanctuary. The donkeys wander freely around the island, with food and water available at the sanctuary. They are said to be left over from the islands salt industry and you may drive past the tidal pools that allowed for evaporation and small scale salt production

This was a great guide. He really brought the island to life for us and that ladder meant easy access to the bus. Being a nice guy he shared a couple of bottles of water with the donkeys

There’s a lively cruise centre back at the ship, lots of bars and restaurants but a huge attraction for me is the fabulous snorkelling right off the beach, and if you’ve brought your own snorkel it’s completely free! What’s not to love?

Definitely an island I hope to re visit some day!